WELCOME BACK
by Patcat
Summary: Bobby returns
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Detective Robert Goren sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "If I'm going to keep doing these case reviews," he thought. "I'm finally going to have to get glasses." He smiled wryly. "I'll review as many cases as Ross wants. I'm back in the office. I've got my gun and my badge back. I'm still a Detective First Grade. In a few days I'll be working with Eames. I'll do whatever it takes." He returned to his close examination of the files.

A knock at the door interrupted his intense work. Bobby looked up to see a smiling Alex Eames holding two cups of coffee.

"So," she asked. "How's the prisoner?" She placed one of the cups on the table in front of him.

"Not feeling that much imprisoned," Bobby answered. "Thank you." He took a long, grateful drink. "Wow." He shook his head. "I haven't had it that strong for a while. 'Course, I haven't needed it that strong for a while."

Alex smiled at him, and Bobby realized he hadn't felt this warm and happy for a long time.

"You keep plugging away," she said. "And don't make any one mad at you. I'm looking forward to getting my partner back."

"Your partner is looking forward to getting back," Bobby answered genially.

"Well, wish me luck," Alex said. "Logan and I have a follow up this morning."

Bobby frowned in thought. "I thought Wheeler was back…"

"She is," Alex said. "But Logan and I caught a couple of case while you and Wheeler were away." She sighed. "We were just covering…but this is one of those political ones where every t has to be crossed and I dotted."

Bobby smiled sympathetically. "How's working with Logan?"

"Not bad," Alex said. "Not all like his reputation…" Her voice died away.

Bobby smiled sadly as Alex stared at the floor. "I guess," she said. "We know something about reputations and their relationships to reality."

Bobby twirled his pen. "Yea…"

"He's a good guy and a good cop," Alex declared, giving Logan her highest praise. "He…he thinks you got a raw deal…Although he didn't think what you did was the smartest thing he's ever seen."

"There are times I'm inclined to agree with him," Bobby said. "Was Logan, by chance, one of the cops who sent testimonials for me…"

"He was," Alex said cheerfully.

Bobby twirled his pen again. "And did Detective Alex Eames have anything to do with organizing those?"

Alex flushed. "She might have," she said deliberately. "But it wasn't hard for her to find people willing to give them." She looked at the clock and seized the opportunity to flee. "I gotta go…Patience isn't one of Logan's virtues."

Bobby waved a large paw. "Ok…and…thank you, Eames."

Her hand hesitated on the door's latch. "You…you're welcome."

"Be careful out there," Bobby said.

"You be careful in here, Goren," Alex said. "Watch out for those nasty paper cuts." She waved her hand as she left.

Bobby smiled, looked at the pile of files in front of him, sighed, and returned to his work. Roughly an hour after Alex's departure, a knock on the door interrupted Bobby's examination of a photograph. Blinking, he looked up at Captain Danny Ross.

"Detective," Ross said in a determinedly neutral tone.

Bobby wished that for once Ross would acknowledge that he had a name. "Captain," Bobby responded in an equally neutral voice.

"You've made some progress." Ross nodded at the files.

Bobby, surprised at the work he'd accomplished, glanced at the files. "Yes, I guess I have…and I…I may have…"

"Solved them all?" Ross said with a smile.

"Possibly," Bobby said after a beat. "But I'm not sure the ADA's office will agree with my conclusions."

"Well, we'll make every effort to convince them." Ross studied him for a moment. "Goren…"

"So," Bobby thought. "He does know my name."

"I want you to know," Ross continued. "You are wanted in this squad. I wanted you back. I want to be clear about that. The opinions of the Chief and some others in the Brass are not held by everyone." He grimaced. "Not even by some of the Brass. If it was up to me, you'd already be back on the streets with Eames. But…" Ross shrugged his shoulders. "There are political appearances…"

Bobby twirled his pen. "I…I understand, sir. I…I'm just grateful…Thank you…"

"Look, Detective," Ross said as he laid his cards on the table. "I doubt we'll ever work completely calmly together…Too much alike…Too alpha male…Too smart…"

"Too angry," Bobby said.

"Yes," Ross said after a moment. "But whatever our personal conflicts…You're a great detective. You make this department, this squad…Me…look good…" He smiled. "Most of the time. Just know. I want you here. And so do a lot of other people."

Slightly stunned, Bobby watched Ross leave. "Well," he thought. "This has been an interesting day…And a good one…" He mused briefly about what his psychiatrist had told him. "Opportunity," Bobby thought. "This is an opportunity to start again…to see things differently…" He smiled and returned to his work. In a few minutes he was again lost in it, so lost that he was oblivious to the jump in activity in the office a few minutes before noon. Bobby's head shot up when a white faced Ross burst into the room.

"Goren," the Captain began.

"No," Bobby thought. "Eames…"

END CHAPTER ONE


	2. Chapter 2

Many thanks for the nice reviews of this little effort.

CHAPTER TWO

Ross quickly glanced at Detective Robert Goren as the captain negotiated the traffic laden streets. The big detective was eerily calm, and Ross thought he might feel better if Goren was showing at least some outward sign of the emotions inside of him. With a sickening feeling, Ross remembered that the last time Goren sat in that passenger seat, he and the detective were on another mission to help Alex Eames, one that threatened to have an unhappy ending.

Bobby tried not to notice the worried looks Ross discretely gave him. He struggled not to let his heart pound as he sat in the passenger seat. Ross drove quickly and efficiently, almost as well as Eames. Bobby rubbed his eyes. The last time he'd ridden as Ross' passenger, he'd fought the idea that he might find her battered body in the trunk of her car. And now…

"Breath," Bobby thought. "Remember to breath."

"We're nearly there, Detective," Ross said.

"Please…tell me…again," Bobby said. "Tell me what happened…"

Ross sighed. "Logan and Eames more than played it by the book. They had backup. The suspect…Linus Willoughby…One of those Willoughbys…Has been involved in some dubious import/export deals. Unfortunately, we didn't know those involved new designer drugs…"

Ross slammed a fist into the steering wheel with enough force to cause Bobby to jump.

"Damn politicians," the captain muttered darkly. "Willoughby shoulda already been in jail…Instead of being treated like royalty…"

"You…you grew up in…in Brooklyn," Bobby murmured.

Ross glanced at him. "Yea…The accent comes back sometimes…"

Bobby stared at his hand. "Sorry…sorry…I can't shut it off…Even when…"

"It's all right, Detective. I understand…I think." Ross calmed. "Logan and Eames were talking to Willoughby…Things were fine…They invited him to come down to the station. He agreed…he just needed to get something…He came back…And popped Eames with a needle."

"Logan…" Bobby fought to keep his voice even. He knew that whatever had happened, it wasn't Logan's fault. Logan would rather slash his wrists before he let anything happen to another cop, especially Alex Eames. But Bobby couldn't help but feel there must have been something someone could've done, or worse, that there was something Bobby Goren could've done if he was there.

"Logan," Ross said. "Feels awful. Said the only reason Willoughby got Eames instead of him was because she was standing closer. But neither of them knew how dangerous Willoughby was because his family has made things go away…We'll trying to figure out what it was he gave Eames…Whatever it was…It worked fast…" Ross tightened his grip on the steering wheel…"She started seeing…Hearing things…Pulled her gun out…Logan and the uniforms got Willoughby out…Logan tried to talk to her…But she kept waving the gun around…" Ross glanced again at Bobby. "She's apparently called for you…And Logan thought you had the best chance of reaching her. We could try to wait it out until the drugs wear off…But we don't know how long that will take…or how it might hurt her…And as long as she has her gun…"

"I understand," Bobby said, and Ross sensed there was a great deal of painful experience behind those two words.

"We're here," Ross said as they turned on to a street filled with cop cars and ambulances. "Look, Goren…I have to warn you that there may be Brass here…including…."

"I know…the Chief of Ds." Bobby was already unbuckling his seat belt. "Just let me try to talk to her."

Ross and Bobby pushed through a crowd of blue. Bobby thought he might have seen the Chief among several glittering uniforms, but his mind focused on reaching Alex. As he and Ross rode up in the elevator of the modern, impersonal building, Ross spoke to him.

"Be careful, Goren….I know the two of you have this psychic thing going on…But Logan told me over the phone that this was bad…I just got you back…I don't want to lose you again."

Bobby titled his head in Ross' direction. "Yes sir," he said, and Ross, with a sinking feeling, thought that the detective had already decided he was nothing in comparison to his partner.

The elevator door opened on the penthouse level. Dozens of police, some dressed in riot gear, swarmed over the bright, shiny, expensive metal corridor. Bobby and Ross again pushed through the crowd until they reached the apartment door, where Mike Logan argued with a uniformed officer.

"Look," Logan said. "We gotta wait for her partner…He can help her…He can talk anybody out of anything…Especially her…I've seen him in action…And with her…"

"Detective," the other cop said. "I don't doubt that…but she's on drugs that we can't identify…She's got a gun…"

Logan started as he saw Bobby and Ross approach. "Goren…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…I wish it was me…"

"I know you do. Logan," Bobby said calmly. "I wish…I wish it was me, too."

There were terrible crashes and cries from inside the apartment. A muffled, keening cry of "Bobby" came from behind the wall. For a moment, Bobby, Logan and Ross didn't dare to look at each other.

"The door's not locked," Bobby said.

"No," the uniformed officer said. "Every time we try to go in, she points the gun at us." He studied Bobby. "Look…I don't know if she'll recognize you…" Even as he spoke, the cop realized Bobby was determined to go through the door.

"I understand," Bobby said. "But I can reach her…I can get her out of there." He reached for the doorknob.

"Goren," Ross said. "For both your sakes…be careful…"

"Do you want someone in there with you?" Logan asked.

Bobby shook his head. "Thank you." He looked Logan directly in the eye, absolving the other detective of any sin. "But I think going in alone is the best option."

Bobby took a deep breath and knocked on the door. "Eames," he said loudly but calmly. "This is Bobby…I need to talk to you…I'm coming in, ok?"

He opened the door.

END CHAPTER TWO


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

All she could be sure of were the monsters. They came suddenly, one of them tearing at her neck with his claw. Another monster grabbed the first and threw it at two monsters in blue. The second monster tried to talk to her. It looked almost human at times, with dark hair on its head and saying calming words in a frightened voice. But she was certain it was a monster and it would hurt her. She pulled her gun—which was huge and cold in her hands—and aimed it at the monsters. She screamed at them to get away, to leave her alone. The monster with the black hair tried to talk to her, but she screamed at it and waved her gun. She wanted to pull the gun's trigger, but Bobby's voice echoed in her brain. "Things aren't always what they seem…Instincts can be right…Things can be distorted." His warning voice held her hand. Bobby…she needed Bobby. He would tell her the truth. He would keep the monsters away from her. He knew about monsters. He knew how to fight them. He knew what monsters were bad and what monsters were good. She didn't know if the black topped monster was good or bad, and that kept her from pulling the trigger. Bobby would know. She needed Bobby.

"Bobby!" she screamed. "I want Bobby!"

The black topped monster's mouth opened and closed. She couldn't tell what it said, but she caught it saying "Bobby." It backed out of the room saying the name over and over.

Shivering, she awkwardly backed up into a corner where she could see the door and most of the room. As she slid down the wall, she kept the gun trained on the door. The shadows of strange, horrible creatures danced across the windows. A brightly rainbow colored giant lizard loomed besides her, its golden, razor sharp teeth snapping at her. She punched at it with her left hand, and it shattered into hundreds of tiny pieces of light. As the pieces of light laughed at her, something warm and wet and sticky flowed down her hand. She stared at the bright scarlet ribbons and laughed. The monsters outside the door called her name. She screamed to drown out their voices and seized something from a shelf near her to throw at the door. It landed with a highly satisfying crash, and shattered into as many pieces as the lizard. To her horror, the pieces morphed into tiny, terrible, red and black, grotesque bugs and marched towards her. She lurched to her feet and began throwing anything she could grab at the bugs. One of the things she grabbed turned into a large black serpent that hissed and struck at her until she flung it away, where it engulfed several of the bugs. Once or twice one of the monsters opened the door, but she screamed and pointed her gun at it. She wanted to lock the door to keep the monsters out, but the laughing lights, the bugs, and the hissing serpent were between her and the door. She clutched her gun, but the thought that the monsters would rush her if she used it stayed her hand.

"Bobby," she cried. "Bobby…help me…" She threw something at the bugs. They were coming after her, and if the bugs didn't get her, the snake or the monsters would. The gun could save her from all of them. As she stared at the gun, she realized she hadn't heard the monsters on the other side of the door for some time. "They…they're coming…" As she started to point the gun at her head, she heard Bobby's voice.

Bobby stepped slowly and carefully into the room. His shoes crunched on slivers of shattered glass and ceramics. His eyes swept the room and came to rest on the huddled figure of Alex Eames. She squatted in a corner, scarlet ribbons on her left arm, and pointed her gun at him. Bobby's heart leaped and his brain froze. Alex's eyes looked just like his Mother's did when she was lost in one of her delusions. "I…I can't do this," Bobby thought. "I…I can't…"

"Bobby?" Alex asked plaintively. The gun remained pointed at Bobby, who suddenly wished Alex wasn't such a good shot.

Bobby swallowed. "Yea, Eames…I heard you wanted me."

Alex stared up at the large figure. It sounded like Bobby. It acted like Bobby. But it came from where the monsters where. "Close the door…lock…lock it…Keep them out…"

Bobby turned. Through the crack in the door he saw Ross and Logan, both shaking their heads. Bobby shut the door and turned the lock. "There," he said calmly. "That'll keep them out."

Alex kept the gun on him, but stared at his feet. "Bugs…lights…bugs…snake…"

Bobby looked down at the wreckage. "These…these bugs and lights? I'll stomp on them…I'll kill them…"

"No!" Alex screamed, stopping Bobby as he raised his foot. "You…You'll make more of them…"

Bobby slowly lowered his foot. "Eames," he said reasonably. "You've hurt your hand…I need to come to you to help you…"

"The…the lizard," Alex stammered. "He…he bit me…"

"I tell you what," Bobby said. "I'll crawl to you. Ok? And I'll be careful to sweep the bugs and lights away."

She lowered the gun slightly. "What…what if they sting you?"

"I'm not allergic to them," Bobby said as he moved slowly to his knees. "They can't hurt me."

"The…the snake…Watch out for it…"

Bobby looked at a ravaged umbrella that lay a few feet away from him. "I see it…I don't think it sees me…I'll be moving away from it…I'll be careful…"

He tentatively, tortuously, began crawling towards her. As he moved slowly across the intricately designed and highly polished wood floor, Bobby swept the bits of broken glass and ceramics out of his way. In spite of his care, some of the shreds created tiny cuts on his hands and others poked through his pants to pierce his knees. He hid his pain as he crept towards Alex. She slowly lowered her gun.

"You…you're right…" she said. "You're not allergic."

Bobby smiled. He had almost reached her. He carefully brushed away the last slivers between the two of them and slid closer to her.

"But…why aren't you allergic to them…" Alex's voice was full of doubt and growing fear. "Unless…unless you're one of them…"

Bobby looked up and froze. He stared into the barrel of Alex's gun.

END CHAPTER THREE


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Bobby took a deep breath. "I…I'm not one of them," he said as calmly as he could. "I'm Bobby."

Alex held the gun inches away from his head. "The bugs don't hurt you," she said in an eerily calm voice. "The lights don't bother you. You came from where the monsters are. You're not Bobby."

"Good…good logic," Bobby said. He tried to look beyond the gun to Alex's eyes. He couldn't find the Alex he knew in them.

Alex fixed the gun on him. "So, you admit you're not Bobby."

"No," Bobby said calmly. "I am Bobby. I just said your logic was good. But…what if your facts…The basis for that logic…are wrong?"

Beads of sweat formed on Alex's face. "You're saying I'm crazy?"

"No…no," Bobby said. Sweat also started to form on his face. "Remember…Willoughby…He gave you drugs…You're not crazy…" Bobby smiled wryly. "I…I know crazy."

Alex blinked, and Bobby caught a sign of the Alex he knew in her eyes. "Bobby…" she said tentatively. "Bobby…Bobby knows that…He'd say that…"

Bobby struggled not to shiver. "I've got to help her," he thought. "I can't let her hurt herself…hurt me…Not because of me…But…It would destroy her…I gotta help her…" He took another deep breath.

"Eames…What else…Can I say…do…to…" He leaned forward and let his forehead rest against the barrel of her gun. It felt cold and hard against his skin. "I'm Bobby," he said. He spoke as calmly as if they discussed a point of a case in the squad room. "I trust you." He closed his eyes and, as much as he had since his days as an altar boy, prayed.

The gun remained pressed against his head for several hour long minutes. Suddenly, the cold, hard steel was gone. He opened his eyes and stared into Alex's. Her eyes were frightened, swept with shadows, but they were Alex's. Her gun remained in her hand, but it rested next to her side. Bobby shifted to his knees.

"Here," he said gently. "Please…let me take that…"

She didn't resist as he pulled the gun from her hands. He winced as he felt and saw the blood on it. He put the safety on and pushed it to slide on the floor away from them. Alex leaned back against the wall. She closed her eyes and shivered.

"I…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" she murmured over and over.

He sat next to her. "Here…please…let me see your hand…"

"It…it wasn't a lizard that bit me, was it?" she asked.

"No." He examined her hand carefully and gently. "I think it was a particularly ugly vase."

"Bobby…I…They're out there, aren't they? Logan, the Captain, the Brass?"

"Yea…Logan feels awful…Almost as bad as I do, I think." His large hand reached to take her pulse on her neck.

"Please." She seized his arm with her hand, smearing blood over his jacket. "Don't…I don't want them to see me…Not like this…"

"I understand…But you need to get to the hospital…Get rid of these drugs…Get your hand stitched up…" Bobby shook his head. "I'm afraid you're not going to be winning any marksmanship awards soon."

Alex trembled, and fell into Bobby's arms. "Please…please…please don't leave me, Bobby…Please…I'm afraid…"

"Of course." His voice was warm and gentle. "But we need to take care of you."

There was a soft knock at the door. "Goren…"

Alex stiffened in Bobby's arms.

"It's ok, Eames," Bobby said. "It's the Captain. He's just worried." He nuzzled her forehead. "Tell you what…I'll go talk to him…We can get the EMTs in here…They'll take care of you…Get you on a gurney…And you won't have to talk to anybody…"

"You…you'll come with me? You'll stay with me?" she pleaded.

"Yes…I'll stay with you as long as you want…" He gently slipped from her arms and stood. "I'll be right back…I promise…"

Alex watched as he walked away. She tried to ignore the sounds and colors swirling around him as he unlocked the door, opened it a crack, and spoke to someone outside it. She focused on him, especially his deep, warm, eyes, as he walked back to her. He leaned over her and held an open water bottle to her.

"The EMTs will be in here soon," he said in his deep, warm voice. "They'll take care of you…The Captain and Logan will keep everyone away…And I'll be with you. I promise." He smiled at her, and took a long drink from his own bottle of water.

She took a drink of the cold, blessed, water. He sat beside her, pulled out his handkerchief, and tenderly wrapped it around her hand.

"Did you know," she said softly. "That your voice is just like your eyes?"

He studied her carefully for a moment. "No…I…I never…" He had trouble controlling his voice.

There was a soft knock on the door. "That's the EMT's," Bobby said. "It's ok, Alex."

He stayed with her as the EMTs checked her out. He shielded her from the prying eyes of all of the cops, including the Brass. He rode with her on the long trip to the hospital. In spite of the doctors and the nurses, he remained in the Emergency Room with her. He called her parents and her brothers and sisters and let them know she was all right. He accepted Logan's apologies and gave him absolution. He kept the Brass and the press away from her. When she was finally moved to a room, he sat in the chair next to her.

She was dozing as he watched her when Ross slipped in her room.

"The doctors say she'll be all right," Ross said.

"Yea," Bobby said. He winced as he stretched. "I'm too old to be crawling around on floors."

"Are you all right, Detective?" Ross asked with genuine concern. "There's a lot of blood on you…"

Bobby looked around his body. "Damn." He shook his head. "I really liked this suit." He examined his hands, which were dotted with small cuts and slashes. "I…I should have them look at these…and maybe my knees…"

"I'll let the nurses know," Ross said gently. He looked at Alex, and then at Bobby. "Helluva a first day back."

"Yea." Bobby yawned.

"I know you've been through a lot, Detective," Ross said. "But if you could come in sometime tomorrow…after you've gotten some sleep…Just make an appearance…"

Bobby nodded. "Of course."

Ross turned to the door. "Thank you, Goren. Let me know how she is."

"So," Bobby thought. "He's used my name twice in twenty four hours…Progress…"

"Bobby…Bobby." Alex stirred.

He leaned forward and took her uninjured hand in his. "I'm right here."

"Thank you," she whispered. "Welcome back…"

END


End file.
